Broom or mop frame



H2, 1958 K. 1. STRAND ETAL 2,846,707

BROOM OR MOP FRAME Filed March 5, 1956 IN VEN TORS KARL STRAND VERLF E.M/N/(LEA ATTORNEY I nited Uihcc 2,846,797 Patented Aug. 12, 1958 nnooMon Mon FRAME Karl ll. Strand, Huntington Park, and Verle E. Minlrler,Downey, Calif.

Application March 5, 15*56, Serial No. 569,567

Claims. (Cl. --147) This invention relates to a frame construction forbrooms or mops, the same being particularly adapted for connection to amanipulating handle.

An object of the present invention is to provide a frame of thecharacter referred to that is readily adapted to be assembled withoutsoldering or brazing and is, therefore, inexpensive.

Another object of the invention is to provide a broom or mop frame thathas nesting interengagement with mounting means to obviate relativerocking movement between the frame and said mounting means.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a frame and mountingmeans combination, finger-operable means to effect firm and facileconnection and separation of said frame and mounting means.

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that arepositive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in a workingposition and easily discorr nected therefrom, economical of manufacture,relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novelcombinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear inthe course of the following description. However, the drawing merelyshows and the following description merely describes, one embodiment ofthe present invention, which is given by way of illustration or exampleonly.

In the the drawing, like reference characters designate similar parts inthe several views.

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view, the handle being broken away, of abroom or mop construction embodying the frame of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of said frame together with the mounting meansthereof.

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged cross-sectional views as taken on therespective lines 33 and 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 shows a handle 5 and an articulated connection 6, the same beingdisclosed in greater detail in pending application Serial No. 400,447 onwhich Patent No. 2,763,517 issued September 18, 1956. It will beunderstood that said connection 6 terminates in a bifurcation 7. Thepresent improvements comprise, generally, a mounting plate 8 connectedto said bifurcation 7 of the connection 6, a broom or mop frame 9, andmeans 10a connecting the plate 8 and the frame It will be understoodthat the connection 6 may vary and the same, per se, forms no part ofthe present invention. Also, the frame 9 hereinafter will be called amop frame, and it will be understood that the same may carry floor orother sweeping, cleaning or polishing means.

The plate 8 that is illustrated is of generally flat rectangular formand is integrally provided with a centrally disposed, upwardlyextending, ear 10 which has connection with the mentioned bifurcation 7as by a bolt 11. Apertures 12 are provided in the opposite ends of saidplate in suitable spaced relation to the ear Ill. The under face ofplate 8 is preferably provided with longitudinal ribs 13, the same beingprovided, at least, along the lower longitudinal corner edges of plate8. It will be clear that plate 8 has angular adjustment relative tohandle 5 because of the articulated construction of the connection 6 andby reason of the adjustment afforded around the axis of bolt 11.

The mop frame 9 is shown as comprising a length of wire 14 that isformed to have a flattened and elongated O-shape such as suggested inFig. 2, and a connector plate 15. The ends of the wire 14 are shown at16 and said wire is so bent as to have half-round ends 17 c0nnected bystraight sides 18, the mentioned Wire ends 16 being located in one ofthe sides 18 in slightly spaced relation substantially midway betweenthe rounded ends 17.

The connector plate 15 is preferably made of sheet stock and the same isformed to have opposite rounded or rolled edges 1Q that encompass themiddle portions of the wire sides 13. In practice, said rolled edges 19are clinched over the wire substantially as shown. However, to insureagainst longitudinal displacement of plate 15 relative to the wire sides18, a dent or dimple 29 is formed in the rolled edge to protrude betweenthe wire ends 16, substantially in the manner shown.

It will be noted that the mounting plate 8 is substantially narrowerthan is the connector plate 15 and that the two plates have a centeredoperative position (as best shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4) along thelongitudinal middle of mop frame 9. By providing connector plate 15 witha transverse concave curvature, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the narrowermounting plate 8 has little tendency to shift either rotationally ortransversely relative to the wider connector plate 15. It will be clearthat longitudinal alignment of the two plates may be maintained evenupon loosening of the connecting means Illa.

Said connecting means is shown as a pair of headed studs 21 aflixed tothe mentioned spaced end portions of connector plate 15, the threadedends 22 of said studs extending upwardly from the concavity of plate 15.The apertures 12 of mounting plate ti receive said stud ends 22, andmar-proof nuts 23 are engaged over said stud ends and, when tightened,secure the plates together. Since said nuts 23 may be manipulated withthe fingers and the rubber 24 thereof compresses against the plate 8,the resultant friction holds the nuts against accidental backing otfwithout spring washers or other such means.

It will be understood that some reactive flexure of the concave plate 15may result from a tightened condition of the connection means 10a. Thiswill serve to increase the friction between said nuts 23 and plate 8and, thereby, obviate or, at least largely reduce, loosening of saidnuts. It will also be clear that the construction embodies means thatinsures relative non-movement between plate 8 and wire 14, the samecomprising the concave interengagement to prevent rocking and the dimpleEll to prevent endwise movement.

While the foregoing has illustrated and described what is nowcontemplated to be the best mode of carrying out our invention, theconstruction is, of course, subject to modification without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the invention. It is, therefore, notdesired to restrict our invention to the particular form of constructionillustrated and described, but to cover all modifications that may fallwithin the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what We claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. In combination, a rectangular mounting plate having an under surfacewith longitudinal ribs including ribs adjacent longitudinal edges; a mopframe comprising a length of wire formed to have a flattened O-shapewith one side thereof having the ends of said wire in endspaced relationand located midway between the opposite ;ends of the O-shaped wire, atransversely concave connector plate substantially the same length asthe mounting plate and spanning between the wire sides, the ribsadjacent the longitudinal edges of the mounting plate im pinging oncorresponding longitudinal portions of the conbeing, thereby, disposedlongitudinally of and within the concavity of the connector plate; andmeans to secure the plates together.

2. In combination, a rectangular mounting plate having an under surfacewith longitudinal ribs including ribs adjacent longitudinal edges; a mopframe comprising a length of wire formed to have a flattened O-shapewith one side thereof having the ends of said wire in endspaced relationand located midway between the opposite ends of the O-shaped wire, atransversely concave connector plate substantially the same length asthe mounting plate and spanning between the wire sides, the ribsadjacent the longitudinal edges of the mounting plate impinging oncorresponding longitudinal portions of the connector plate on each sideof a medial line of the latter plate and means to locate said connectorplate in fixed relationship to the said wire ends; said mounting platebeing, thereby, disposed longitudinally of and within the concavity ofthe connector plate and having apertures therein adiacent each endthereof; said connector plate being provided with studs extendingthrough said apertures; and resilient nuts on said studs andfrictionally engaged with the mounting plate on the surface opposite tothe ribs thereof.

3. In combination, a wire mop frame formed in a flattened O-shaped form,a rectangular and relatively thin flexible connecting plate locatedmidway of the ends of said frame and spanning therebetween and securedthereto, said plate being transversely concave and, thereby,

having its longitudinal medial portion depressed below the topmost partof the frame, said depressed medial portion having two aperturesadjacent the ends of the plate, a generally flat thicker and inflexiblemounting plate substantially conextensive in length with the connectingplate and being provided on the surface thereof directed toward theconcavity of the connecting plate with longitudinal edges in impingementwith longitudinal portions of the latter plate, said mounting platehaving stud apertures and frictionally engaged, resiliently-surfacedstud and nut means extending through said apertures to connect saidplates and, thereby, to exert tension on the thinner plate to flex theconcavity thereof toward the thicker plate.

4. The combination according to claim 3 in which the thicker plate isprovided with longitudinal edge ribs that serve to engage the thinnerplate to hold the medial concave portion thereof spaced from the thickerplate and to allow flexure space for said thinner plate.

5. The combination according to claim 3 in which the stud and nut meansinclude compressible nuts that cooperate against the inflexible plate toreact to the flexure of the thinner plate to insure tight retention ofthe studs in their tightened condition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,761,180 Cave et a1. June 3, 1930 1,786,037 Sturgis Dec. 23, 19301,798,418 Hertzberg Mar. 31, 1931 1,989,825 Schaefer Feb. 5, 19352,152,358 Palmeri Mar. 28, 1939 2,370,838 Brennan Mar. 6, 1945 2,509,687Lee May 30, 1951 2,561,025 Le Febvre July 17, 1951 2,638,616 Fatland May19, 1953

